Rise up: @Christofimusic’s “Higher” (featuring @Malia_Katherine)

https://soundcloud.com/lesolmusique/christofi-higher-feat-malia

CHRISTOFI featuring MALIA, “Higher”

L.A.’s Michael Christofi is back with another winner of a totally different bent with “Higher”.  You’ll recall his funky classic house pairing with J-VEN called “Don’t Need You”, which is currently gracing the BILLCS Top 30.  “Higher” is all about energetic house music of the early 90’s – good reference points might be “Show Me Love” by Robin S. for its rhythm or “Finally” by CeCe Peniston for its exuberance – featuring an engaged soul-tinged vocal by singer Malia.  “Higher” really sparkles and will keep you moving up, up, up and away…  Get it for free at the link above.

@Saxity swings with their take on @JTimberlake’s “Can’t Stop The Feeling” (featuring @NBCTheVoice’s @AngieKeilhauer)

SAXITY featuring ANGIE KEILHAUER, “Can’t Stop The Feeling”

Let it be said that the Saxity interpretation of Justin Timberlake’s recent #1 “Can’t Stop The Feeling” is ear-catching for many reasons than what you’d think.  Coming off a significant mention in Billboard magazine last week, the German duo have given this movie song a deep house makeover with countryfied vocals courtesy of The Voice Season 10 contestant Angie Keilhauer that puts a new spin on what Avicii accomplished a few years back with the massive “Wake Me Up!”.  Blending in wonderful instrumentation and trademark sax like the band name says, “Can’t Stop The Feeling” now swings in a charmingly unexpected direction that will beckon fans of the song to the dance floor.  This is the kind of game-changer that Saxity is out to achieve with their unique takes on recent songs.  Get it for free at the above link.

More sheer unbridled fun with @MattandKim “Let’s Run Away”

MATT AND KIM, “Let’s Run Away”

Brooklyn denizens Matt and Kim will always keep me coming back to their songs and their shows because we are as much a part of it all as they are.  “Let’s Run Away” is from their recently dropped 4 song 10 minute long EP We Were The Weirdos, and in the video above they take full advantage of a device called a Centriphone (think of a selfie stick camera gone wild) for three-plus minutes of crazy fun.  I can just picture the silly string instead of balloons at their next shows…  Can’t tell you anything else, just watch and enjoy 🙂

Hey it’s new music from @ElevenPastOne called “Wrong Way Home”

ELEVEN PAST ONE, “Wrong Way Home”

The talented quartet from just east of Toronto surprised us last week with “Wrong Way Home”, a gritty funk-edged taste of what’s to come after the domestic success of their 2014 album The World Is Ours.  With Daniel Richter’s slick and ever-listenable voice leading the way, I’m hoping these guys will breakout into the rest of North America.  I’ve seen them a number of times in concert and they are the real deal in solid musicianship.  “Wrong Way Home” may be a little darker than some of their other songs but continues to show that there’s more to Eleven Past One than just the catchy pop song you hear on the radio.  Can’t wait to hear more.

Join the adventure with @PistolsandPints in “The Last Chance” (featuring @DaveyNate and @PrivateRy)

PISTOLS & PINTS featuring DAVEY NATE & PRYVT RYN, “The Last Chance”

I’m fortunate to hear a lot of evolution happening in the wings with EDM with a move towards including live instrumentation alternating with washes of synths.  “The Last Chance” is a 90’s rock inspired track that marries the essence of Red Hot Chili Peppers to the adventurous EDM sound of a rising dance act like Mako.  Pistols & Pints is actually L.A.’s Alex Gabrielian’s space for a collaborative, well-thought out sound that will make you hear something different on each listen.  Davey Nate’s voice totally suits the song and Pryvt Ryn’s guitar work shines throughout.  But it’s the uplifting vibe of the song – and it’s so very much L.A. – that will win you over, and it’s no wonder that it’s being featured in the upcoming surf film “7 Miles of Paradise”.  So don’t just catch the wave, ride it!  Listen to “The Last Chance” above and pick it up on iTunes.

@officialMaxR shifts with a progressive throttle on @NERVOmusic’s “Did We Forget” featuring @AmbaShepherd

https://soundcloud.com/maxrmusic/did-we-forget-feat-amba-shepherdmaxr-remix

NERVO featuring AMBA SHEPHERD, “Did We Forget” (MaxR remix)

For his next feat, after revisiting Manse’s “Freeze Time” with a  timely potent and energetic remix, MaxR dives into a song from NERVO’s Collateral album called “Did We Forget”, which happens to feature the beautiful vocals of Amba Shepherd, who has sang with just about every major name in the EDM world in recent years.  The collaboration is a wildly successful blend of progressive house and tribal rhythms in the original.  MaxR again goes for the throat with a full throttle progressive remix that replaces the tribal beats in favour of a bouncing and driving rhythm that glides alongside the “we re-found love” theme of the song.  You can download MaxR’s remix of “Did We Forget” for free at the link above.

Even more feels in @theJohnLock remix of @missMollyMoore’s “Blood. Sweat. Tears.”

MOLLY MOORE, “Blood. Sweat. Tears.” (John Lock remix)

It was instant love-at-first-listen with “Blood. Sweat. Tears.” by Molly Moore back when I heard her Shadow Of The Sun EP, my favourite song by her to date that would sit comfortably in a playlist next to the likes of songs by Jessie Ware.  It also found its way recently to #8 on my own BILLCS Top 30.  It’s the fourth song from the EP to receive an EDM snapshot, following “Natural Disaster”, “Peace Of My Heart”, and “Come Fly”.  I was curious about its result, but L.A.’s John Lock has managed to uncover other feels in the song.  Initially more of a retrospective lament when you can’t commit to a relationship, this progressive remix manages to bring out the confusion and struggle that you face inside your head quite appropriately.  So indeed your head will spin to the multitude of new swirling sounds amid slightly tightened-up verses and vocals that uncover anxiety substituting for the original’s balladry.  It goes without saying, the John Lock remix of Molly Moore’s “Blood. Sweat. Tears.” is highly recommended, and you can buy it on iTunes.

@Latchmeresound offers up British-styled house in “Limits” featuring @AndreasLmusic

https://soundcloud.com/latchmeresound/limits-feat-andreas-liberos

LATCHMERE featuring ANDREAS LIBEROS, “Limits”

After bringing us a wicked, infectious instrumental called “Stressed” a while back, Australia-based Brit Latchmere is back with his spin on British house music titled “Limits”.  Appropriately featuring UK soul/hip hop artist Andreas Liberos, Latchmere brings Andreas’ voice down low to make him sound like the missing futuristic prince of British house!  Latchmere shows his knack for putting drops in exactly the right places, and the song itself will give club goers a solid workout.  “Limits” is a track that should not just end up being a hidden little gem.  Download it for free at the link above.

Washington DC-based Eddy Faulkner @Eddyftw2 knows his way around a hook or two with “All The Way”

EDDY FAULKNER, “All The Way”

Eddy Faulkner is a 24 year old Washington DC-based singer who can craft wicked song hooks that with stick with you, such as in the lead song from his debut EP Unbreakable called “All The Way”.  Unbreakable itself has a variety of pop songs with dance flavouring sprinkled throughout, but “All The Way” stands out and will grab you in the same power-pop way as others by the likes of Chris Wallace, Steve Grand, or Tyler Shaw.  Eddy has been honing his talent for a while now via social media and has this seamless, diverse voice that would be equally at home singing jingles, commercials, or big dance music anthems.  Give a listen to the summery, feel good vibe of “All The Way” at the link above.

Doo-wop pop’s gonna get you in “Madame Beaujolais” by British duo @YesBabez !

YES BABEZ!, “Madame Beaujolais”

You read that right – London duo Mick and Lily, aka YES BABEZ!, have a flair for fun and it arrives doo-wop pop style with “Madame Beaujolais”.  The song itself is much ado about nothing but in a Bananarama kind of way, and YES BABEZ! dazzle with minimal instrumentation and emphasis on sublimely fine vocals.  I could do without the keyboard sounds which make it sometimes more of an unintended companion to Scandinavian dance pop, but YES BABEZ! have the start of a good thing with “Madame Beaujolais” and I’d definitely like to hear more like this.  Give it a spin at the link above.